Pages

Two months ago, Etude House released a new addition to their Play series, the Play 101 Stick. And just like their famous Play 101 Pencils, this is also a collaboration with Pony, I'm sure most of you already know who she is. She made a tutorial on how to use the sticks prior to its release. If you haven't seen it yet and want to get a glimpse of her tutorials click THIS and THIS. Both videos doesn't have English subtitles but I assure you that you wont have any difficulties understanding it.

Make up in stick form? It's nothing new, I've seen other make up brands
do it but just because it's been done before doesn't mean I'm less
excited for this release. If anything, it made me anticipate more of
what Etude will come up with next time. From pencils to nail polishes
and now sticks. What's next? Only Etude House knows. One thing is for sure, they will be releasing more products in the future. It may not be another addition to the Play line we all like but I'm sure it's something we can enjoy while we're waiting. Actually, they have already released numerous products after releasing the Play 101 Stick. Big Cover line, new skin care products, the very popular brow gel tint, new eyeshadows and of course, their spring 2016 collection which was officially released in the beginning of February. They probably released about 30 products in the span of two months. But hey, it's Etude House we're talking about, for them it's the norm. lol
Reviews on some products from the Big Cover line will be posted here by next week while the list of products from their spring collection will be up not later than tomorrow. For now, I think I should start the review. Haha

For my second Pink Box, I received these:
Play 101 Stick Foundation, Play 101 Stick 11 and 13, Play 101 Stick Contour Duo and a small brush.
I already had a hunch that these sticks are what the Pink Birds will be receiving, not gonna lie I was excited to try these out mainly because I have never used anything similar to these in the past. I knew products like these have been out in the market for so long, just that it didn't really pique my interest before.

The sticks are all housed in a box with their corresponding colors.

Here's how the box (#11) looks like from all sides.
I didn't take photos of all the boxes since they're almost similar to each other but here's the pic of #11 just to give you a clue of what the actual box looks like.
L-R: , Play 101 Stick Contour Duo, Play 101 Stick Foundation 01 Fair, Play 101 Stick 13 and 11

Expiration date can be seen on the cap of the stick. There's only a little amount of the product so I doubt it will last until 2018 especially if you're going to use it on a daily basis but it's still good to know that the expiration date is years from now. lol Usually, make up products only lasts for 12 months after opening.

Play 101 Stick Brush
This foundation brush is ideal for flawless and smooth application of stick foundation or multi-color sticks.

Sadly, I have never owned a foundation brush before (#marxiethemakeupnoob #everybodyknows) so I can't compare this to anything. Who needs foundation brush at this point of time where cushion foundation is the trend? loljk. Truth be told, the reason why I don't own one is because I'm not the biggest fan of foundations. I'm always after that no make up make up look and prefer cushions that doesn't have high coverage because it looks more natural. Hopefully in the future I will be more adventurous in make up and try all the kinds of brushes and foundation there is.

The brush is slanted and it's smaller than what I expected it to be, almost the same size of the sticks. It comes with a transparent pouch which I think can fit the foundation or any stick of your choice and the brush itself. Very travel friendly! In my opinion, this brush is pretty decent. I'm quite satisfied with it, the bristles are soft and it made blending/spreading the foundation easier than using fingertips. It works pretty well and the only downside I can think of is that it leaves streaks. If someone says otherwise, it's either they're lying or I'm doing something wrong. lol

How to apply the foundation stick as stated in the box. Not necessarily meant to be followed lol, you can apply it however you prefer. There are many ways to blend the foundation, you can either use your fingertips, the Play 101 brush, a beauty blender or even the puff that comes with your cushions.

The Play 101 Stick foundation is available in 4 shades, 01 Fair, 02 Vanilla, 03 Beige and 04 Sand. Korean brands usually don't have a wide range of shades when it comes to their foundation or bb cream so that isn't really surprising. At least now, we have 4 shades to choose from compared back then when we only have 2. If you still can't find the perfect shade for your skin tone you can try to get 2 shades and mix it to see if it will suit you but then it requires double the money and effort to do so. Ain't nobody got time for that. lol However, if you really like the product I think doing that will be completely reasonable. The shade that I got is the lightest, 01 Fair.

I forgot the coverage test! OTL Will add it when I have time.

True to its claims, this really glides onto the skin effortlessly. It has a creamy texture and evens out skin tone well once blended. As for the coverage, it's light and buildable to medium with satin finish. This foundation can't fully cover redness or hyperpigmentation with just one layer so if you prefer using a foundation that can give you a high coverage then this one isn't for you because while you can build the coverage, it has the tendency to look cakey as you layer it. Another thing I want to add is that it tends to cling onto dry patches. I wasn't even aware that I have dry areas on my cheeks until I used this product. I guess I should take this as a reminder that I need to take my skin care game to the next level. lol Actually, I have more cons than pros on this foundation. Let me go through it briefly because I know no one wants to read a long review.
Aside from those I stated above, you need to need to stay away or at least think twice before buying this if you have large pores or fine lines. You need a primer if you want your pores to be less noticeable because this product alone can't do it. For a foundation, the lasting power is poor as it starts to fade after about 3 hours. Yes, you can retouch anytime you wish because the foundation is very travel friendly, it's in stick form but I don't think it's hygienic.
However, I think you will like this if you're someone who has normal skin type with little amount of skin imperfection.

Play 101 Stick #11
A multi-function color stick for eyes, cheeks and lips that creates color impacts with smooth and sheer finish.

I've always thought that this was only meant for contouring. Never did it cross my mind that I can also use this particular shade on my lips or eyelids until Etude House pointed it out.. While I can't really picture myself using this on my lips, I might give it a try as an eye shadow. Might.
# 11 looks brown on the stick but actually a bit more orangey when swiped on the skin. A layer or two is enough for it to show if you have fair skin. People with darker skin tone might require 3 or 4 layers, I'm not really sure. One layer is enough for me but in the end it all goes down to preference. Sometimes I feel like it doesn't adhere much to the skin as the opacity decreases greatly when you try to blend it in but it's actually a good thing because it looks way more natural. You don't really want to go around with your contour looking more obvious than ever. Like the foundation, this is also smooth, creamy, feels lightweight and blends really well. I haven't really made a full use out of this product yet as I'm very new to contouring but so far I think it's quite good. Oh, this one doesn't make dry patches look obvious.

Sorry, I wasn't able to take photos outdoors due to sudden rainfall. I talked about this in my first Pink Bird box (CLICK) because there's a similar shade to it which is the Play 101 pencil in #71.
#13 is also duochrome, has slightly cool toned pink base and gold shimmers. Not really the shade I wish I would receive because while it's a gorgeous color, it's also no secret that I don't really like using anything shimmery on my lips or cheeks and this product is made for those. I'm sure most of you are already tired of me complaining about shimmery lip or cheek products by now lol
It glides on smoothly when applied but feels a little different from the first two sticks when you blend it in, it has more of a silky feel than creamy. I find this particular shade incredibly hard to work with. Whenever I try to blend it, the pink base transfers to my fingertips and I'm left with the gold shimmers on my skin. The pink color is quite sheer and might not be visible enough if you have a darker skin tone, you can try to layer it for it to show but there will be too much of the gold shimmers. If you don't mind that the I guess it's okay. This is my least favorite among the four sticks I received. Can't really see this work as a blush because it's not pigmented enough. Maybe a primer will help but then there's just an excessive amount of micro glitters. I would recommend using this as a highlighter instead.

Photos taken on different lighting.
While I was taking photos outdoors, I noticed that the sides of the foundation started melting. Mind you, it's not even that hot and I wasn't even out for that long! Fortunately, it lasted through the photo session and hasn't melted even up to this day. Haha I would also like to mention that it worries me a bit that these sticks uses twist up mechanism.. I've used some products like this in the past and believe me, one day, when you least expect it, it will stop working. lol

Closer look

Play 101 StickContour Duo 0.05oz/1.7g x 2
A creamy contour duo that creates a look of authentic dimentionality of face.
How to apply:
Apply the highlighting color on T-zone, cheekbones and the shade color on sides of nose and below the jaw line.

Front and back.
The contour duo stick is double ended, the white one acts as a highlighter while the other is for contouring. Don't be fooled, the highlighter isn't as white as it is in the photo. The brown looks similar except a little darker. Compared to #11, I'd say this one is 2-3 shades darker.

This is probably my favorite. Very handy and easy to use for beginners like me.
It's no different from the products I mentioned above, glides onto the skin and blends like a dream!
I'd say this is perfect for nose contouring or basically the narrow parts of your face that you want to highlight and contour. The highlighter is really good. It really does the job but layering can lead to emphasizing dry areas of your skin, be careful. The shimmers are very minimal and aren't really visible unless you look at the areas you highlighted very very closely. As for the other one, like I mentioned earlier it's a darker shade of brown than #11 and is better to use on the smaller parts of your face like your nose whereas #11 is better on the larger areas like the side of your face or jaws. I find the Contour Duo a little too dark for my skin tone so I apply it very lightly. Other than that, I think this is a nice product!
If you watched Pony's tutorial, you probably saw her apply the contour duo on her clavicles to make it look more prominent. I personally haven't tried that one yet but it's interesting. brb trying it now. loljk
I enjoyed trying these out and I'm happy that I found a favorite which is the Contour Duo, it's great for contouring newbies like me and I will most likely use this often to practice.
It's such a shame that these starts to fade after 3 hours or so.
So far, Etude House released 11 Play 101 sticks, 4 foundations, 6 multi color sticks and 1 contour duo.
I'm pretty sure they will launch more shades in the following months, let's all be prepared for it! Haha

They also sent us samples of their Moistfull Collagen Cream and an eyebrow booklet, it contains tutorials on how to do your brows with their brow products.
Speaking of brow product, have you guys seen the brow gel tint? It's basically like the Berrisom peel off tint that was so popular last year except you use it on your brows. The peel off tint was so popular I bought 5 shades and 1 remover but I haven't really used it yet. lol
Anyway, I heard good things from Korean bloggers about the brow gel tint and I want to try it but I'm still waiting for Gloria's review. I convinced her to get it. lol She said she's my guinea pig but I refuse to call her that. lol

If you guys missed my post on my first Pink Box click HERE.
To check out more products from Etude House click HERE.
And don't forget to join my giveaway! I'm giving away highly raved Japanese products, it will end on the 29th. Hurry and join now! lol. Click HERE.

The products mentioned were sent by Etude House for review purposes. Opinions expressed are based on my own experience and 100% honest.

I really want to try the foundation sticks but I've been hearing mixed reviews on them. I can't wait for my double ended contour stick and highlighter to arrive! I ordered a while ago and can't wait to use it!

Hi Darling, Has been a long time since the last time that I visited your blog, I missed your great reviews. Well, I sincerely love it the Play 101 Stick Foundation #01 Fair looks like an easy foundations for apply. And the countour stick looks great because I use more powders for contour instead of cream. Thanks for your detailed and lovely review like always. The blush is not my favorite maybe for my oily cheeks.

You refuse to call me that yet you ask me to be your tester for new products... ISN'T THAT THE DEFINITION OF A GUINEA PIG? Lmao I'll get to work on that review ASAP since I finally received the package, although I'm still terrified that I'll mess up and leave my brows looking misshapen for days. If that happens I'm blaming you :P

I am a beginner and I think I don't rlly need things such as concealer or contour but now I want to try em out. And I'm a lil bit confuse which one must I try first, etude house contour duo or etude house color contour duo. I want to try one of them and later I'll buy the other one. I hope u can give me a suggestion ^^ ah i love ur blog❤